Random thoughts and happenings if the life of a West Texas Good Ole Boy thrust back into the bustling oil field after a 20 year absence.

Monday, December 17, 2007

OKAY I DESERVED THAT!!!!!

OKAY, first let me preface this blog with the old adage "NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED"

This tale begins with my better half's rental property. This particular unit is currently leased to my beautiful granddaughter's mother and boyfriend at a reduced rate. (anything for that Mackenzie). Friday nite they called to inform us that while installing a new washing machine, they noticed the hot water was no longer hot. I check it out, sure enough, the filler tube on the cold water side of the water heater had become detached and no longer circulated. So Saturday, I went and bought a new 40 gal gas water heater ( over $300.oo) and went that evening to install it. No problems. No leaks , no Gas leaks, and hot water abounds though the system. TA DA

8 am Sunday morning , BRRRRRIIIIIINNNNNNG, The whole house was flooded, not just with water , but with SAND. 3" thick though out the bathroom, hallway , and kitchen. The rest of the house was flooded.First of all, I had an Auction scheduled for that day at 1pm, and had to put out the call for a professional. Called a local carpet saving company and they dispatched a guy to give us a bid. $1500.00 to suck out the water and dry the carpet and pad. NO WAIT! That is SEWAGE!!!! IT MUST BE IT IS ORIGINATING AT THE TOILET!!!!SORRY THE CARPET MUST BE REMOVED.

Me---- Sewage , that is not sewage. The water quits flowing when I turn the water heater supply off. Okay , Okay lets just say you are right. How much to pull out the carpet and pad, then suck up the residual water.

$1500.00 SIRMe- you mean it cost the same to remove the carpet as it does to remove the water, dry the carpet and pad, leave those silly fans up for days, and reinstall the carpet???YES SIR --WE WILL DO IT FOR $1500. IT IS WORTH THAT , BUT WE WILL ALSO HANDLE THE INSURANCE CLAIM.Me--see ya!!So off to the auction I go and leave the kids(what I call Mac-z's mom &bf)to remove their belongings. They do and after the auction, I go and pull the carpet and pad from the house and deposit in the front yard. Then shop vac the rest of the house and shovel out the dirt. Set up fans and mop the floors .Today , called a plumber and told him the problem. Now we have 3 holes jackhammer though the floor, two holes cut in the wall for access, and a found leak that cannot be repaired. Tomorrow we start new hot water lines though the attic.But here is the little tidbit that makes it worth a smile. After the second hole had been jackhammered in the floor , the leak was located but was unreachable though that hole. We moved over 3 feet and went at it again. FINALLY FOUND THE CULPRIT. The plumber then cleans away from the leaking line and calls me over to inspect the damage.The kids happen to be there to pick up some necessary items, and I called them over to see what had turned their world upside down. My friend Mac was also present to witness what happened next.Upon instruction from the plumber , the helper turned the water on , with everyone crowded around this 3' hole in the concrete to witness the moment. Within seconds a stream of hot water shot out of a 3\4" slit in the copper line and struck me full in the face. FULL IN THE FACE The title of this blog was my only response , after the laughter died down below a roar.Thanks for your timea very wet Scotte